Sometimes God leads us through fire before revealing the lightning within.
Dr. Michael Jenkins thought his greatest battles were behind him. After surviving a terrorist attack that changed his life forever, he returns home determined to heal and reconnect with family. Instead, he is pulled into the mysterious realm of Aras, a world unlike anything he has ever known.
There, danger lurks in the shadows, powerful forces stir, and the line between courage and fear grows thinner with every step. As Michael struggles to survive in this unfamiliar land, he begins to understand that his scars may hold purpose, his trials may carry meaning, and his faith may be the key to something far greater than he imagined.
Tales of Aras: Becoming Fire & Lightning is the first installment in an exciting, clean speculative fiction series designed to entertain, build rich and memorable worlds, and introduce unforgettable characters who remind readers that God is always at work, even in the most unexpected places.
Adventure awaits. Purpose calls. Faith endures.
Hutchinson-Hayes: - She serves as a mixed media art teacher for Light For The Future, teaching students virtually every week and visiting annually to provide hands-on instruction. In 2022, she organized a successful online art auction featuring student artwork, and in 2023, her students' art was showcased in a historic museum in Guatemala City. A former educator and principal, she is the owner of Dressed in Love Press, LLC, an independent traditional publishing company, and works as an author, speaker, podcaster, editor, and children's book illustrator. She is passionate about nurturing creativity and helping young artists thrive.
Niedziela, Terrance: - Terrance Niedziela Jr. grew up in Wisconsin, immersed in shows, movies, and books that celebrated the timeless theme of goodtriumphing over evil. He began writing stories in the fourth grade, and what started as a childhood passion grew into a lifelong callingto craft meaningful, imaginative fiction.Terrance's goal as a writer is to create speculative fiction filledwith the noble themes found in the Word of God. Through immersivestorytelling and compelling characters, he desires to draw readerstoward the God who loves them so deeply that He willingly sacrificedHis Son, Jesus, to restore a relationship with humanity.He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ancient Middle EastHistory with a minor in Creative Fiction from University ofWisconsin-La Crosse and later completed a Master of Arts in Englishand Creative Fiction Writing from Southern New HampshireUniversity. His writing has been recognized with several honors, including a First-Place Foundation Award at the Blue RidgeMountain Christian Writers Conference, a Fiction Carolina ChristianWriters Award, and a Second-Place Florida Tapestry Award.In addition to writing fiction, Terrance contributes devotionalwritings to The Man Cave blog on the website of Dr. KatherineHutchinson-Hayes. His devotionals were included in publisheddevotional collections in both 2024 and 2025, further reflecting hispassion for sharing biblical encouragement through the written word.Terrance enjoys spending time with his wife, watching cartoons, reading, exploring nature, and witnessing the moment when hisstudents' "light bulbs" turn on. He currently lives in South Carolinawith his beautiful wife, Shauna, and their dogs. When he is notwriting, he teaches English to middle school students and continuesbuilding imaginative worlds that inspire courage, faith, and hope.
